ivens



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.-

E. M. IVENS. GOTTON BALING APPARATUS.

No. 504,983. Patented Sept. 12, 1893.

W/TNESSES I //v VENTOH V Iavmd ATTORNEYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

B. M. IVENS. COTTON BALING APPARATUS.

No. 504,983. Patented Sept. 12, 1893.

INVENVTOH .Mj ws. B)" 7% (AAA u. ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES:

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No, Model.)

' ELM. IVENS.

. COTTON BALING APPARATUS. No. 504,983. Patented Sept'.12,1893.

INVENTOH.

A wlrlvsss: A L M4. M4, Z mndjmjwm I 5% ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND M. IVENS, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR TO EMILY L. IVENS,OF SAME PLACE.

COTTON-BALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,983, datedSeptember 12, 1893.

Application filed June 28,1892- Serial No. 438,340- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND M. IVENS, residing at New Orleans, in Orleansparish, in the State of Louisiana, have invented a new and ImprovedOotton-Baling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an automatic cotton baling apparatus in which acumulative power is used, and it has for its objects, first, to balelint or condensed cotton direct from the gin without tramping the samein the press box; secondly, to pack the cotton in a seven foot boxinstead of a twelve foot box as 1s now most generally done, whereby tolighten the weight of such box and to shorten the travel of the mainscrew presser platen; thlrdly, it has for its object to provide inconnection with a swinging press box having two chambers a juniorpresser follower mechanism which presses down upon the cotton in thereceiving chamber and imparts thereto an initial pressure, a senior orcumulative presser platen which imparts the secondary or finalcompression to such partially compressed bale, after the box is swung tochange the position of the chambers, such unior and senior pressingoperations belng simultaneous, 2'. e., as the initial pressure isapplied to the cotton in one chamber, the final pressure is applied tothe partially compressed bale in the other chamber.

It has also for its object to provide suitably arranged locking devicesfor the doors which are adapted when operated to simultaneously releasethe doors.

With other minor objects in view all of which will hereinafter be fullyset forth my invention consists in the novel combination and arrangementof parts all of which will hereinafter be fully described in thespecification and pointed out in the claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved baling apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal section thereof on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a Viewof the junior presser mechanism. Figs. 5,6 7 and 8 are detail viewsillustrating the door locking devices hereinafter specifically referredto. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the rotatable pressbox formed with dual chambers B, B, it being of the ordinaryconstruction, except, that it is of a much less depth than boxes of thiskind usually are. Such box is centrally mounted upon a king post C. Thepost 0 is secured at its upper end in the fixed upper cross head D,disposed over the lower or what I shall term the senior presser platen,and the oppositely extending timbers E, upon which is mounted the upperor junior presser platen, which operates over the receiving end of thepress box. The lower end of the post G is secured in the base timbers F,upon which the lower or cumulative presser platen is secured, and thelower cross head or presser block G located under the feed end of thebox as shown most clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Any suitable means for rotating the press box may be employed as alsofor limiting the swinging of the box toa semi rotation at each movement.I prefer however, to employ the means shown in the drawings and whichare fully described and claimed in another application filed by me onthe 25th day of June, 1892, Serial No. 438,037. Such devices consistbroadlyin a circular platform H, secured to the press box at a pointbelow the side doors, on the under face of which is a large band wheelI, over which passes an endless rope or cable which passes over guidepulleys J, held on the queen posts (3 0*, and over an externally grooveddrive pulley O mounted on the main drive shaft Q of thecumulative feedmechanism for operating the main press or platen such mechanism havingsuitably arranged shifting devices whereby the pulley can be thrownintoand out of engagement when desired.

M indicates pivoted latches held on the guide wheel bearing plate j,which are adapted to automatically drop into engagement with lock platesN on the ends of the press box at each half turn of the box.

Heretofore where dual swinging press boxes have been employed onechamber has been used as a receiving chamber while the other serves as abaling or pressing chamber.

To obtain the proper density of the bale in this class of boxes itrequires that such boxes be at least twelve feet high to permit of atleast an eleven-foot travel of the presser platen. This, I have found,objectionable, in that it requires the use of very heavy press boxes andtoo great a travel of the platen and too much time and loss of power inthe finishing of the bale. To overcome this I make the box abouttwothirds the usual height, reduce the travel of the accumulativepresser platen proportionately and employ a unior presser mechanismwhich primarily compresses the cotton in the receiving chamber beforesuch chamber is turned over the main presser platen.

Before describing the particular construction of the senior and juniorpresser platens it should be stated that in each chamber of the pressbox operate counter balance followers I, which serve the double functionof balanclng the cotton as it is fed into the receivmg chamber and alsoas a support therefor after the main pressure platen has receded andbefore the tied bale is removed from the main compression chamber, suchfollowers also serving as a bottom stop which bears against the lowercross head when the junior presser is applied.

In the practical construction of my machine I prefer to employ thedevices shown in the drawings and which are fully described and claimedin my other application referred to and consist broadly of a waterholding tank mounted on the press box, which supplies water through aseries of valved pipes Q to a series of cylinders R, in which operatepistons S, which are connected by the wires or cords s, s to thefollowers P, such cords passing up from the pistons over sheaves T asshown.

In operation when the followers are depressed the pistons rise in thecylinders and the water follows up and when such pistons recede, thewater is forced back into the tank. When it is desired to hold thefollowers to any of their adjusted positions the valve on the particularsupply pipe when the follower platen Q is in the press box is closedwhich holds the water in the cylinders under the pistons and preventstheir downward move ment.

I desire it understood that any other means for counter balancing thefollowers, as for instance such as is shown in my Patent No. 475,117,May 17, 1892, may be employed.

' The junior presser mechanism which is most clearly shown in Figs. 1and 4 comprises a follower block or platen Q swivelly supported upon thelower end of a screw shaft R, such shaft having a collar T which fits ina socket plate p secured in the upper face of the platen Q M indicatesan internally threaded tubular nut which passes up through the beam Eand has secured at its upper end a bevel gear J while its lower end hasa collarj K K indicate washers interposed between the gear J and flangem on the lower end of the nut M Upon its lower end the shaft R has aratchet or notched wheel N keyed thereto with which engages a trigger orlatch 0 secured upon the top of the platen Q which holds the screw fromturning by force of gravity. AdriveshaftE isjournaledinbeau ings e e theinner end of which has a bevel pinion 1 which meshes with the bevelwheel J an internal cog wheel 11 being also fixedly held on the shaft Enear such inner end.

Upon the outer end of the shaft E is keyed a drive pulley A andjournaled two loose pulleys B and 0 one of which 0 hasagear c whichmeshes with a gear g on a counter shaft F the outer end of which has asmall gear G which meshes with the internal gear wheel H as shown.

The manner in which the junior presser mechanism operates is asfollows-assuming the screw and platen to be up at the highest point andthe receiving chamber below filled with cotton: When the chamber is fullthe ratchet O is raised, which releases the screw shaft, and allows itto revolve on its own thread by gravity, until it is stopped by thecotton in the box. The latch or trigger is then allowed to drop intoengagement with the ratchet wheel N and thereby holds the shaft R fromfurther rotation. The belt X is then moved from loose pulley B to pulley0 This will then press the cotton below through the internal gear Hshaft F and gears g and c and transmit power to the shaft E and throughit and the bevel gear I to the tubular threadedsleeve or nut M When aslow as desirable move belt X across pulley 13 onto fast pulley A, whenscrew will run up three times as fast as it went down, the gearing beingarranged relatively for such operation. This operation can be repeatedas often as necessaryin makin g a bale and it effectually serves to balelint cotton without the necessity of tramping it.

After the cotton has been thus primarilypressed the box is turned tobring the empty chamber under the junior presser while the partiallypressed cotton is moved over the senior presser for a final compression.

The senior presser mechanism consists of a cumulative mechanism adaptedto operate to raise the platen at a fast speed and medium power at thestart and at much slower but with a cumulative power at the end of itsstroke.

In the drawings I have shown an accumulative feed mechanism adapted forthree independent pressure movements and such mechanism consists in amain shaft Q having loose pulleys A B G a fixed bevel friction wheel Gand a fixed pinion P which meshes with the master screw gear P as shown.On the shaft Q is loosely held an internally threaded pulley O", a.double sliding clutch N and loose integral gear wheels L M The loosepulley C has a bevel friction wheel D and a gear E with which meshes alarge cog wheel H on a counter shaft S provided with a gear T whichengages the internal gear 0 Upon the shaft S is held a double slidingclutch J G carrying at opposite ends gears I and K F indicates a bevelfriction wheel mounted on the upper end of a vertically movable shaft RIn operation, to apply a direct application to the main presser platenthe belt X is shifted from the loose pulley B to the fast pulley A, theclutch N being held out of engagement. A rapid motion is thustransmitted to the shaft Q. After this power is exhausted anintermediate cumulative pressure can be applied by moving the gear wheelI on shaft into engagement with the gear L and the clutch N intoengagement with the wheel M" and shifting the belt to the loose pulleyC. To obtain a very powerful but slow movement of the platen, the clutchJ 6 is moved to release gears L and I and the gears Ii and M are broughtto mesh, the belt being applied to the loose pulley 0 While the bale isbeing hooped the cog wheels I and K are disengaged and the clutch Nlocked into the pulley 0 the belt is again applied to the loose pulley Cand the platen is run down sufficiently to remove the bale from thepress. The clutch N is then disengaged entirely and the friction wheelsD G and F are thrown into gear and held so by holding the shaft R up bya suitably arranged foot lever.

T T indicate the upper and lower'door sections of the press box, whichare hung on the upper end of such box in the ordinary manner, the uppersection beingadapted to swing upward while the lower is hung to swingdown against the floor or platform, and the lower end of the uppersection has the usual strain beams T which overlap the upper end of thelower door section as most clearly shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings.Heretofore so far as I know these doors have been connected with eachother at their ends by means of separate fastenings. This isobjectionable, in that each door is necessarily opened separately. Toprovide for simultaneously opening such doors I employ the means mostclearly shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings, and such meansconsist of a shaft A journaled on the upper face of the timber T andextending entirely across the face of the press. The ends of this shaftare extended into slotted sectors B and such ends are squared to receivethe operating levers G which levers have pinions a cast integraltherewith, which engage the tooth racks on the sectors as shown. Eachsector is pivotally journaled upon a bolt D secured in the timber T, andsuch sectors have each an upwardly projecting lug E having slightlyundercut lock faces 6 F indicates the usual chain link connections. Inoperation, when the doors are closed the several parts are in theposition shown in Fig. 5, the sectors being at theirdown positions andthe levers with their handles extending perpendicularly downward. Afterthe bale is finished and the doors are to be opened thehandle C isturned once entirely around, its pinion and the pinion on the oppositelever (which is turned by the revolution of shaft A serving to raiseboth sectors. This operation partly turns the pivot ends of the sectorsand changes the lock faces of the lugs E from an acute to an obtuseangle and as a consequencefthe"links slip off. (See Fig. 7.)

In baling lint cotton there is always avery heavy side strain, whichsprings the doors into irregular shapes and causes the ordinaryfastenings to jump 0E. The fastening devices shown and described act inunison, apply the same strain to both ends of the doors, are positive,and also operate to gradually loosen the chain fastenings before thelink is allowed to slip off, a result not obtainable by the ordinarymethods of fastenings.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings theadvantages and complete operation of my improved baling apparatus willbe clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which itappertains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patcut, is

1. In a cotton baling apparatus essentially as described, incombination, arotatable press box having dual compartments, a cross headunder one of such compartments, a cross head over the other compartment,a presser mechanism, including a follower, adapted to drop by gravity atthe first portion of its movement, and screw operated to finish itsthrust, a second presser mechanism, including an accumulative presserplaten adapted to engage the partially compressed cotton from below,after the press box has been turned, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

2. In a cotton baling apparatus, in combination with the press box, apresser mechanism, including a gravity and screw operated follower, andshifting gear devices adapted to be set to engage the screw follower andmove it to a final thrust by screw pressure, substantially as and forthe purposes described.

3. In a cotton baling apparatus, in combination with the press box, apresser mechanism, including a screw operated follower, adapted to dropby gravity against the cotton, a locking device on such follower adaptedwhen set to hold the follower from such gravity movement after it entersthe press box substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a cotton baling apparatus, the combination with a cross head and apress box, of a screw operated follower, movable in such box against thecross head and constructed to fall by gravity when not locked to thefeed screw, a locking device for looking it to such screw, and shiftinggear mechanism meshing with the feed screw adapted to operate such screwshaft substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. In a cotton baling apparatus, the combination with the press box, theoppositely swinging doors and link fastenings secured at the edges ofone door, of the pivoted sectors having lock lugs, secured to the otherdoor, and means for operating such sectors in unison, substantially asand for the purpose described.

6. In acotton baling apparatus, the combination with the press box doorsand the link couplings secured to one of such doors, of the slottedsectors having rack faces and a transverse shaft journaled to theopposite door, such shaft projected through the slotted sectors andhaving squared ends, said sectors having lock lugs adapted to engage thelink couplings and levers adapted to fit the ends of the shaft andhaving a pinion arranged to engage the rack face of the sectors, allsubstantially as and for the purposes described. 20

EDMUND M. IVENS. Witnesses:

AMBROSE WAGNER, R. TooMBs WRIGHT.

